Saturday, 24 December 2011

Leaving this post to (hopefully) schedule on time... just wanted to wish you all a Happy Christmas and New Year.

Thank you for all your lovely comments and support during the year - as always, and more so than ever this year, it is much appreciated.

I couldn't show this card earlier because it is for my brother and his wife and I didn't want to spoil the surprise! it is based on day 2 of Tim's 12 tags of Christmas and one I really loved doing., even more so in a large size!

made another little "wreath" of silver beads for one, used some of the festive greenery die for the other deer.

Used a piece of the music paper from the Lost and Found stack, clear embossed my own resist on it.

It is mounted on an 8x8 inch card base.

Happy Christmas everyone! Hope you all spend time with family friends or other loved ones and have a peaceful, happy time.

Since writing this, I have made the Dutch Butter Biscuit recipe we found in one of Mum's recipe books and which my brother and I remember fondly - so have made some as I promised them, to take with me. By the time you see this, they will either be - in our tummies - or the bin!! Not done "proper" baking for a loooooong time! They look similar to how I remember... how far wrong can you go with butter, brown sugar and flour?!

Wednesday, 21 December 2011

Well, hallo again - didn't mean to leave it a week between posts - but I haven't done any crafting this week! (except a card I can't share yet cos the recipient reads my blog and won't be getting the card till Christmas Day!)

Anyhow, it's Wednesday - which means it's WOYWW? (what's on your workdesk Wednesday in case you're visiting from another planet) Click the link here for Julia's gaff, for all the desks you can imagine.

This being just 4 days before Christmas I had some wrapping requirements - so I have a "before" and "after" for you today.

Before....
(my bag of bling from Paperchase has lasted several years - but this was the time to use it!)

and after .... how can it take nearly 2 hours to wrap such a small pile???
I went to town with the bling this year, I figured we deserved it!
No peaking now!

Not sure when I'll get to post again so in the meantime, it just remains for me to wish you all a very happy - healthy - funfilled - Christmas and don't all work too hard!

Thank you for all your visits during the year and for your comforting words. They meant a lot at the time (still do) and helped. So thank you.

Wednesday, 14 December 2011

Welcome to the penultimate WOYWW before Christmas - oh my gosh!!! Are you ready? Am I ready? Probably no to both of those... although the cards are in the post and I have bought some presents - so instead let's head to head girl Julia's to check out the workdesks of the universe and not worry about what isn't done!!

So, did you do Tim's 12 Tags of Christmas? I kept up daily - and am very proud of myself too! I posted each one every day, but here they are all on my desk cramped patch on the floor - waiting for me to do something clever with them!

I have a cork display board thing that I may put them on and hang somewhere, although I don't think all of them warrant being on display, but some of them I am happy with!

I was absolutely determined NOT to buy anything for the 12 tags - and did really really well until last Friday when I gave in and bought these - the festive greenery die, and the reindeer flight die... oh, well! Me being me, I haven't actually USED them yet, but it won't be long!

So that's 12 Tags done and dusted - now I can concentrate on getting ready for Christmas - it will be strange to say the least this year, being the first without Mum and Christmas normally being just me and Mum - but this year I am staying at my brother's - he has two children and his in-laws are also coming to stay, so it will be busy and fun and I'm looking forward to it!

However, I'll be here next week before then (and probably still not ready!) so in the meantime, I'm off to check out the rest of the desks at the Stamping Ground. Now that I'm not spending every night making tags, I should get to visit more of you than I managed last week.

Monday, 12 December 2011

It's the final day - boooo! Tim's Tags has reached day 12 - and boy does he deserve a rest! Catch his season finale here - it is another cracker!!

For the final day, Tim is using tissue wrap - which I don't have - his dwellings & vintage lace dies - ditto - the charlotte doll - double ditto.... hmmmm Helen needs to get her thinking cap on!!

So, (writing slowly so the camera battery recharges, can't take any pics just yet, lol) I stamped my own tissue paper, cut my own "vintage dwelling" by hand from grungepaper (run out of grungeboard) and this was the result....

Had to use some more of my wired ribbon instead of tinsel trimming, hand cut a piece of silver card instead of the lace trim using a pair of decorative scissors) (thanks so much to Eileen for that tip, wouldn't have thought of that!) Hand scrunched a flower (used the largest tattered floral die flower and some more of the hand stamped music tissue paper) and sewed it together before fixing it to the tag.

Found a little - too little really - chip Santa for the dwelling - and made the 25 in the same way as the wish per Tim's instructions.
The silver snowflake at the top is from that cheapo £1 shop decoration I got the other day.
It's been a blast - Tim thank you so much for another fabulous start to December - I don't know about you, but I'M ready for a rest!!! Thanks too to Mario for your BTS tweets and on FB - it's been a great way to start the day for the last 12 days. You guys ROCK. (realised after I'd loaded the tag to Tim;s blog, I'd forgotten the row of glitter dots round the tag - so this is a quick re-do!!
Thank goodness I have finished my Christmas cards, I feel a break from crafting coming on.....or maybe not!

Sunday, 11 December 2011

I nearly missed the 8am (UK time) launch of today's tag as I only woke 5 minutes earlier.... rushed to get the computer on!

Today Tim is using shrink plastic in the melt pot - things I own but rarely if ever use - but gave it a go!

Tim's is here using his Santa which I don't have and couldn't find one of my own in the right size - so I used a Hobby Art bear that I have had for years and years.

Don't have the holly die so used the tattered leaves - need practise with the shrink/melt pot game - couldn't get hold of them to drag them out of the UTEE... anyhow, this is the penultimate tag - already - wonder what masterpiece Tim is keeping for the final day tomorrow!!

Am entering this for Hels' Sunday Stamper where her theme is Christmas.
Now I must go and find something to eat - I have a headache which I think is caused by not eating enough this morning - or maybe the UTEE!

Saturday, 10 December 2011

Today's tag took longer to sort than I thought it would - I had quite a lot of the necessary equipment, apart from the tattered banner die (nearly ordered that yesterday, but stopped myself!) Anyhow, Tim's tag is HERE and is - of course! - an absolute beauty.

This is my version -

I even found some metal tape - I was looking for a pack of silver metal to back the facet with and found a pack of metal tape - it looks slightly less metallic than the one Tim used but it worked - and the transfer method he used for the pictures behind the facet is fab - I bought some clear parcel tape a few weeks ago when I saw Tim use it probably on the same kind of thing as here, and had been tripping over it on the floor ever since - finally got to use it.
It works a treat!!

I didn't have the music stamp Tim used for his tag, but instead cut some of the carols from the Seasonal paper stack and stuck that to a tag - same difference!

I cut by hand a banner shape from a scrap of patterned paper - the scrap I had was a little too short so couldn't fit "believe" on it, went for dream instead - same idea, less letters!!!

For my trim I used some ribbon from my Christmas wrapping stash (I bought this several years ago - must be at least 5 as my Dad was still alive!) when I intended to give beautifully wrapped presents - it's heading into my craft stash now!!!!

The silver balls come from a cheapo snowflake garland decoration I bought in a £1 shop the other day, wanting some extra goodies for my tags! I strung them on a bit of wire into a wreath shape and wound it into the ribbon.

This was a really fun one to do - thanks again, Tim!!

I was impatiently waiting for my glossy accents (on the dream) to dry but couldn't wait any longer, the light has gone and I had hoped to get it done in daylight - just about made it!
The reason it took so long, is I had to wait for the glue for the facet to dry, (spent the time tidying in the garden!) but I have also done some Christmas shopping this morning (before I started playing!) and now MUST get my cards written... see you later peeps.

Friday, 9 December 2011

The last few days have flown, doing Tim's tags!! Today Tim is double embossing to get his fab rusted enamel look, I have had less success.....

Check Tim's blog here for the original - this is mine, with loads of substitions/omissions again!!

This is mine - the background stamp is a B Line design stamp and judging by the state of the rubber, I can't have used it before - it was pristine clean!! I used the same ink colours as Tim did - evergreen bough and festive berries - my first version, I used wild honey (which I really like) instead of the red, but anything I tried to put on top looked rubbish. As I don't have the candles or the lamp-post dies, I had to use a stamp - this is by PSX - and it has it's own greenery which I coloured with gel pens, so I didn't need the festive greenery die that hasn't arrived yet.... yes, I succumbed and went stash shopping!!!!

Anyhow, I did have one of the alphabet dies, though not the one Tim used, which I really want too - cut from a piece of textured card (don't have any core-dinations!) and coloured black with a glaze gel pen to get the shimmer - just too lazy/tired to wait for glossy accents to dry tonight!

I was hoping to stay up to join in some of the BTS fun with Mario and all on Twitter tonight, but I don't think I will be able to stay awake - may just get up early instead!!!

We're on the closing straight now so I am determined to keep up doing the tag on the day Tim does.... 3 more to go....

Thursday, 8 December 2011

WOW I don't know how Tim does it - every day's tag is better than the one before. Today's is no exception - Steampunk Christmas - the original is here and this is mine - I had quite a lot of the things Tim used today, but not all, like the die for the gears which I left out.

I had to reverse the placings on my tag because I did the white stamping on the opposite side of the tag - that caused me a few hiccups - like things facing the wrong way - but I got there... I also discovered I had the Alpha Parts (for the JOY) which I had forgotten about - or not remembered what they were.... they are fab!

This was a whole bundle of fun and I like the way this has turned out. Loving the winter seasonal inks all together - such gorgeous colours!

Wednesday, 7 December 2011

I didn't have the holly die - used the tattered leaves die instead and made the best of it!

The branch is the one from Tim's Urban Tapestry set minus the bird! (I knew it was a good idea to splurge on that set the other week!) and so is the splatter stamp from that set. The holly berries are from an old 'pearl' necklace I donated to my stash and I coloured them as Tim shows in his blog.

Fiddly fiddly tag - but I loved it!! I have done nothing else I should have tonight, so I hope tomorrow's is a bit more straightforward!

I don't know how I'm cramming everything in at the moment - have been following Tim's 12 Tags - so far got each one done on the day it was posted - not sure if I'll keep that up for another 6 days, here's hoping.

So on my desk at the moment - not you may have thought a pile of Timmy stash because I have been clearing away after I finish each one - yes me!!!- but my finished Christmas cards that are awaiting writing/posting.... that will have to be the weekend I think! Check out some more amazingly creative (i.e piled high, full of stash) desks here

For DragonsDream Tag it On this week we are set "Time Changer" as the movie by Frankie herself - with the theme being Victorian/Steampunk/Gothic. so out came my Tim stamps and some Graphic 45 paper.....

Check the rest out here later today when they 'go live'!
We'll be having a break until the New Year after this one, but do try and join us!

Tuesday, 6 December 2011

So, today Tim has us working with paint and metal..... see for yourself here . Like a lot of people who's comments I've seen, I wasn't sure about this one - until I tried it.... trust me (trust Tim!!) once you get to the sanding stage - it makes it....
Couldn't get a decent photo because of the dark - artificial light and flash not being conducive to photographing metal!!!

I don't have the adhesive foil sheets that Tim used, but did have paperartsy's metal on card sheet that worked as well. The folder is from cuttlebug and I used various paint dabbers. I've put them away buried under all sorts of rubbish so I can't check the names!!

The star is a chip shape from my stash, coloured with iced spruce and spritzed with perfect pearl, the greeting at the bottom is from one of Tim's sets and IS on another piece of the silver metal, I toldyou I was having trouble with the flash....

Hope you like it, see you tomorrow - WOYWW and a TIO challenge AND a Tim tag - is there enough time in the day I ask myself.... (no!)

Monday, 5 December 2011

Day 5 already!! Love Tim's tag today - using his reflections stamps and clear plastic - now I don't have any reflections stamps but the technique is the same as one that Tim uses on fragments and such-like and which I've tried before (with little success it has to be said)

But tonight it has worked better than before - mainly I think because I built up the layers of alcohol ink before stamping. Anyhow, check the Master's work here for how it can look - and this is my version!

Had a sheet of heavy duty acetate and I cut round a tag to form the shape.

I used alcohol inks sailboat blue, stonewashed (not much, it didn't show up too well) and denim. Used the larger of Tim's snowflake stamps and the snowman is by Paperartsy. Tied some blue ribbon and that's it - decided it didn't need much more embellishing (don't have the ones Tim used, or any others suitable)

Nearly left it plain - quite like it!!

sorry about the glare from the flash on the camera!

Ok, no more crafting for me tonight - Liverpool are playing and on the TV so I'm off!!

Sunday, 4 December 2011

Hi again! Not sure how long I will keep up with doing the day's tag on the day.... so far so good. At least today's tag LOOKS a bit more like Tim's, lol. See the original here with all the detailed instructions and how to's....

I don't have the snowman die, so stamped Tim's snowman stamp on gungepaper (not board, it would have been a devil to cut out...) nor the 25 mover and shapers die so I used some grunge numbers from an old set and stuck them to the snowman.

Don't have the on the edge die so the fab plastic snowflakes are missing, I used a couple of stars from my stash.

I enjoyed this one much more!!

This is where I got the tuile from for the trims - the backing for some fabric flowers I found at Ally Pally last year (cheaper than Tim's trimmings, shhhh!! though I do have some of them too)

Saturday, 3 December 2011

Oh dear!! My day 3 tag is a dis-ahhhh-ster! Tim's tag here used cut'n'dry felt - which I don't have.... to make your own custom stamp - and a matching stamp/texture fade folder which naturally I don't have either.....

So I had to use the only stamp I had which I have the embossing folder to go with.... perhaps I shouldn't have bothered. I nearly didn't blog it, but I didn't want to not do a tag today so here goes!!

SORRY!!!

On a plus side though, I have finished making my Christmas cards... now just to write and post them! And then to buy some presents....!!
Wonder what Day 4 will bring...

Friday, 2 December 2011

So, Day 2 - another stunning tag (indeed, 3) by Lord Tim.... didn't have all the items again, but a few more than yesterday.... Hot foot it over here to see the real deal (and the many many fab tags made by other Tim fans... there are so many already...

Here is mine - I don't have the deer die, but as soon as I saw Tim's post this morning,I thought - ah, Umbrella Man - poor lad, he's caught out in the snow - but at least he's got his brolly!!

I don't have the Christmas Kraft Resist pad (it's gone on my wish list now.... lol!) so I used the ordinary kraft resist and clear embossed Tim's snowflakes and the "Christmas" from a Paper Inspirations stamp before following the rest of Tim's instructions. I then borrowed an idea for the perfect pearls from Eileen here and it works a treat! She did the same as me with the Kraft resist!! I made him a scarf to keep warm as I didn't have the greenery for the wreath!

I hand-cut a zig-zag edge from the leftover canvas and added it with some mini fasteners, and used a bit of raffia with the ribbon at the top. Good job I just bought the holiday muse tokens!
This was really fun to do - can't wait for Day 3.... but now, I must get some more Christmas cards done - I am falling behind with them!! but first, my hot chocolate before it gets cold...

Thursday, 1 December 2011

Well, like thousands of others, I was poised at my computer at 8am UK time to see the first Tag of the series - and we weren't disappointed!

I had to wait to get home from work to play though, and improvise as I didn't have a lot of the product that Tim used. Still that's part of the fun.... check the original here by Tim

and here is my attempt!

I had as much trouble photographing it as I did making it, lol

The embossing folder (snowflakes) is cuttlebug as I don't have Tim's - the tag is coloured with iced spruce and evergreen bough.
I didn't have the Noel die or the festive leaves but I used the "wish" mover and shaper.

Made the banner with some tissue tape stuck to a piece of paper and coloured some flower trim instead of the pine cone die cut.

Maybe this angle is better!

Lets hope I do better for Day 2 - I can't afford to buy lots of new stuff for this challenge (although I did nearly order some stuff today...)

Wednesday, 30 November 2011

Ok, Wednesday is here again... so we can all get together at Julia's place to snoop at one another's crafty spaces.... What have you got on your desk today? Do tell - and show.... Here's mine...

A Christmas present to myself - a bargain box of goodies from Lin at LB Crafts from her closing down sale... I am so going to miss Lin - I never got to see the shop in person but I have made up for it online and at shows; lol! Now all I have to do is make myself not open this before the big day!!

Haven't bought any presents for anyone else yet, something else that needs to get done!!

Still busy with Christmas cards - this one is with those lovely Tapestry stamps - I don't use them enough....

And these are stamps by Tim... I haven't counted up lately (it's not that many more than last week) but still have a lot to do - and Tim's "12 Tags of Christmas" starts on the 1st December - OMG that's tomorrow!!! - so I really want to play along with that.. there won't be enough hours in the day, lol.

I was looking for a purple card for a mount for a card tonight, why is it that the box you want is always at the bottom of the pile???!

Anyhow, do go over to Julia's and catch up on some more desks to see what everyone else is up to.

Tuesday, 29 November 2011

A quick post from me tonight, I am still in the midst of Christmas Card City.... but this one - quick and simple - fits a couple of challenges so I thought I'd better get it posted!!

The theme for both SimonSays Stamp and Show and Hels' Sunday Stampers is "stars" and I used the Stampotique star designed for a Craft Stamper cover stamp by Jo Capper Sandon, and a small Paperartsy star, the 'Merry Christmas' is from Hobby Art. I stuck with one colour - Iced Spruce - oh I LOVE that colour... so much more than I thought I would!!!

Sorry about the photo, the light in my living room is not good, and the flash is bouncing off the card! The card is white, honest!!

Thursday, 24 November 2011

HI, and Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends! This week's challenge from Simon Says - is to show some tickets - and that means Tim Holtz! ......Wish Upon a Star......

I had to incorporate this into a Christmas card because I still have plenty to make and there's only a week of November left, yikes!

The base card is a 6x6 card and a sheet of pearlescent blue paper then the scalloped edge mat - you may have noticed I've used a lot of these this year (I'm running low, will need to change my theme soon!!) with Wendy's stars stamped twice in chipped sapphire and twice in stormy sky (second impression stamping, to get a light colour) I lightly inked the adage ticket with the blender tool and covered it with rock candy crackle for a bit of shimmer.

It's been so long since I managed to take part in this challenge, what with one thing and another, and it's nice to be back at it!!

The stamp in the centre is a Crafty Individuals one, only I trimmed off the "jingle bells" bit from the bottom, stamped on a scrap of card.

And here is the tag itself. I used Iced Spruce on the tag - I LOVE this colour more every time I use it - and the words were stamped on a reject tag thatI saved - can't remember now what colours I used for it, it's from weeks ago!! Apart from the "art" (make unknown) all stamps are Tim's.
As he was a man of great invention (Da Vinci, although Tim's not bad either!) as well as an artist, I used that as my source.

Check out my other team mates tags here at DragonsDream - and why don't you join in this week?

Sunday, 20 November 2011

Two days - two Sunday Stampers in a row! Hels has chosen Frosty the Snowman ths week for her challenge and PanPastels challenge is Frosty and Bright so this card is fitting for both of them!

Hels' is giving her tag away to one lucky winner, and PanPastels have a great prize too from their sponser Your Creativity Store - a twin trial Pan Pastel kit - so go theck them out .

Similar style to yesterday's cards - the snowflakes on the black mat are done with picket fence distress stain picked up from my craft mat. The ink is iced spruce again.... and the snowman has then been sprayed with perfect pearl mist in pearl for some added shimmer, but it doesn't show up in the photo.

I'm on a bit of a roll now with my Christmas cards, must get back to them...

Saturday, 19 November 2011

I was busy making Christmas cards again today and suddenly realised that some of them fit Hels' soon to close Sunday Stampers challenge from last week inspired by "the Trail of the Lonesome Pine" which is to use pine colours or pine trees/branches. And I am now in love with Iced Spruce, that fabby new winter DI.... although I do love Evergreen Bough too...

Anyhow, here tis...

the scallop edged mat is from Craftwork Cards and the background stamp and 'make it merry' are by Wendy Vecci, the deer and pine branch are Tim's

You get two for the price of one for this challenge - a version in Evergreen Bough, the trees are by Judikins and I love this stamp!

Got to go, more cards to make (and my DT tag for Dragonsdream for which I have NO ideas at all....)
Talking of which, a couple of weeks ago our film inspired theme was Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium which I didn't know at all, but I see is on TV this afternoon so will watch it whilst I'm card making.... TaTa for now!)

Wednesday, 16 November 2011

My workspace today finally shows signs of Christmas - yes, at last! I made a start at the weekend - clambered behind the first row of boxes to get to the Christmas stash - dug out some of my favourites - Christmas = Penny Black here!! It's the only time I do "cute" ..... so my space has out some of the stamps I'll be using this year

and the first few off the run! I got the chance to use the new winter limited edition distress inks - oh, I LOVE that evergreen bough - the 3 trees and the background behind the hedgehogs. Love it, think it is my fave fave DI... Trouble is, I haven't done any more since... oops!

And at DragonsDream Tag it On, we are dreaming with an Asian theme this week and the film that inspired my teamie Silvia, is Chinatown.
I nearly ran out of time with this one so it's a very basic one layer tag - used distress stains in scattered straw and bundled sage and the fans are on a Judikins cube stamp. The Asian script is from a Paperartsy plate. Found the oval picture in a book of ephemera bits and bobs. Check out the rest when the challenge posts around noon. We enjoyed seeing your romance last week!

Wednesday, 9 November 2011

This week's Tag it On tag film title is Letters to Juliet - so romance seemed to be the order of the day. Once again (I don't watch many films, have I mentioned this?!) I didn't know it - but from googling it, it sounds worth looking for and watching!

I started by stamping my script stamp (Just for Fun) onto the tag twice, and then painted over it with a thin layer of gesso to make it recede into the background.

I overstamped the tag with the cityscape (Judikins) which here represents Verona. 'Juliet' is from Impression Obsession

I used some antique linen over the gesso'd tag and walnut stain round the edges. Found a scrap of paper for the sentiment and added the idea-ology. Make sure you come to check out the other DT entries and have a go - don't forget you have to do a tag, and you must use at least one real stamp. Have fun.

Life is trying to return to normal here - almost succeeding sometimes! - and Wednesday means it is What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday, thanks to Julia for co-ordinating it so perfectly.
I decided I needed a little treat last week and indulged in a few (!!) bits and pieces, so here they are... (see, told you I was trying to return to normal!!)

Some Tim stamps, some new Paperartsy Fresco paint colours (I'm in love...) and some mega bargain cookery books from WH Smith - already both reduced by at least 50% to £9.99 and THEN - as you see from the sticker - 2 for £10... so the 2nd one (that I wasn't going to get) was only 1p.... it would have been stupid not to.... and as I didn't fancy Cheryl Cole's "autobiography", River Cottage was the winner. But the Baking book (from the TV series) is fabulous... I may even start baking again...!

The Winter limited edition inks look a bit out of focus, sorry! But boy are they fantastic colours. I LOVE Evergreen Bough (a fab bluey-greeny-turquoisey colour) Festive Berries is a real red red and Iced Bough is a cool bluey-grey sort of colour... I blasted off a quick tag on Saturday afternoon

It's not meant to be fantastic, I just had to try out the inks.... if you didn't see it then, here it is again!

Anyhow, if Julia hasn't slept through the alarm again (sorry Julia!) head over to the Stamping Ground for some fab desks/floors (I'm not the only one!)/ironing boards etc to see what the rest of the world has been up to.
And don't forget to stop by Dragons-Dream later to see the latest Tag It On challenge (mine will be here later!)

Saturday, 5 November 2011

When I saw Lin had some of the yummy new Paperartsy Fresco Paints in on Thursday, I had to order some straight away (and just as well, as I see she's sold out already...) here they are nestling in their box - don't they look fab?

I "only" got 6 - had to draw a line somewhere... aren't they gorgeous colours?! Those two orangey red ones are different colours, they haven't photo'd very well! One is Autumn Fire and the other Smoked Paprika... such fab names!

Anyhow, today I took Autumn Fire and covered a page in my journal and started to play....

Used some (new!) Tim Holtz and Wendy Vecchi stamps, and my Dina Wakley's.... the tag is coloured with the limited edition ripe persimmon.....

My Winter seasonal inks arrived today - whilst I was in the middle of having my highlights done so I had to go to the door covered in bleach filled wraps.... so I had to play with them too....

LOVING the evergreen bough.... and the festive berries is a great red!!

Hmmm think I've been shopping a bit too much this week... may have to stop a while!

PhotosbyH

About Me

Hi, I'm Helen - H. As well as stamping and crafting, I love to take photos. I read lots, and love football - I have supported Liverpool since I was about 15, but I watch lots of other sport too. I work full time in a job I love but it doesn't leave me as much time as I'd like for either crafting or photography! You can also follow me on twitter @stampingbyh